10: Chapter 10 The Mist Dissipates, Swords Point at the Blue Moon

Cousin Lu Changhe's spirit island was located in a calm sea area on the edge of the Inner Sea.

It was not large in scale, but it was already taking shape—there were simple spiritual fields, low stone houses, and over a dozen Dao soldiers patrolling the island.

Several rows of low Spiritual Plants were planted in the spiritual fields, their leaves shimmering with a faint green luster as they swayed gently in the sea breeze.

A simple defensive Formation was set up around the island, with Formation Flags inserted into the reefs, emitting a faint blue light.

This was an enterprise built by a person who had struggled and fought in the Star Sea for many years, trading sweat and blood for it.

It wasn't glamorous, but it was solid.

When Lu Changyuan's spirit boat docked, Lu Changhe was already waiting at the Pier.

He was seven years older than Lu Changyuan and possessed a cultivation of the Late Foundation Establishment Stage. His face was tanned, his build lean and capable, honed by years of exposure to the sea winds and scorching sun of the Star Sea. There were a few faint scars on his face, and his eyes held a sense of composure and sharpness honed only by surviving in dangerous places for many years.

He wore a simple, blue-gray Daoist robe without any decorations, but three high-quality Magical Artifacts hung at his waist, ready to be drawn at any moment.

Seeing Lu Changyuan walk down the gangplank, he stepped forward and patted Lu Changyuan's shoulder. There was genuine surprise and relief in his tone: "Fifth Brother, I didn't expect you to actually come."

His gaze swept over the neatly lined-up Dao soldiers on the spirit boat and the faint figures of Mortals visible in the cabin, and his eyes changed slightly: "And you brought such a large Formation."

"I've kept you waiting, Big Brother." Lu Changyuan smiled slightly.

"Not long, I just arrived." Lu Changhe turned around and led him toward the island, his tone casual: "Come, let's go inside and talk."

The meeting hall on the island was a simple stone house. The walls were built with local blue-gray reef rocks, the roof was covered with dried seaweed, and the tables and chairs were made from locally sourced materials—rough but sturdy.

The only thing that could be called refined was the set of celadon tea ware on the table. Its glaze was lustrous, clearly brought from the Central Plains.

Lu Changhe personally brewed the tea with skilled movements and pushed two cups of hot tea in front of Lu Changyuan.

"The tea leaves in the Star Sea aren't good; just make do with it." He sat down opposite him, picked up his teacup, and got straight to the point: "Tell me, what is the reason for coming to find me?"

Lu Changyuan pushed the heavy gift he had brought—a Storage Pouch containing five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and three Rank-Breaking Pills—onto the table. He then took out a contract stamped with the Blue Moon Island Lord's seal and placed it next to the Storage Pouch: "These five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones are a greeting gift. The contract states a ten percent silent stake—you, Big Brother, will hold a ten percent share of Blue Moon Island's annual spiritual rice harvest and mineral output."

Lu Changhe's hand paused.

He put down his teacup and looked at Lu Changyuan, his eyes holding a hint of complexity: "Blue Moon Island?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"I am sure." Lu Changyuan's tone was calm, without any hesitation.

Lu Changhe was silent for a moment, pushed the Storage Pouch aside, stood up, took a sea chart from the bookshelf, spread it on the table, and pointed his finger at the mark for Blue Moon Island: "I explored Blue Moon Island once, two years ago."

He paused, his tone becoming heavier: "The Spiritual Qi is thin, almost negligible. There is a large Yao Beast tribe on the island, and the number is not small—just from what I saw with my own eyes, there were three or four hundred of them, and there was a Second-Order Great Yao guarding it."

"Furthermore," he raised his head and looked at Lu Changyuan, "that island is somewhat strange. The hinterland constantly emits an extreme cold Qi. Two of my men went in, and only one came out. The one who came out had their Meridians frostbitten and took half a year to recover."

"Extreme cold Qi," Lu Changyuan's eyes flickered slightly, "is it emitting from underground?"

Lu Changhe was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "How did you know?"

Lu Changyuan did not answer, but lowered his head to look at the sea chart, his finger tapping lightly on the location of Blue Moon Island, his expression calm and focused.

Extreme cold Qi emitting from underground.

The Jade Slip said it was formed by the earth's veins, not Demonic Qi.

"Big Brother," he raised his head, "what is the situation in the sea area around Blue Moon Island? The distribution of Yao Beasts, the direction of ocean currents, and the local forces—is there anyone else coveting that island?"

Seeing him ask so specifically, Lu Changhe knew that his fifth brother had truly made up his mind, so he stopped trying to dissuade him and recounted all the intelligence he had accumulated over the years.

The sea area where Blue Moon Island was located was called the "Green Abyss Sea," the boundary between the Inner Sea and the Outer Sea. The currents were complex, and Yao Beasts appeared frequently; it had always been considered the region with the highest development cost and the lowest return.

Precisely because of this, although Blue Moon Island's location itself was not bad, there hadn't been many forces that actively explored it over the years, and most returned empty-handed.

"There is one local force," Lu Changhe said, lowering his voice a little, "the old-time local tyrant of the Green Abyss Sea, the 'Canglan Sect.' Its Sect Master is a great Cultivator of the Nascent Soul Stage who has operated in this sea area for nearly two hundred years. Although Blue Moon Island has thin Spiritual Qi, its geographical location happens to be stuck on the edge of the Canglan Sect's sphere of influence. They won't take the initiative to seize it, but if someone establishes a foothold there, they will inevitably face exclusion."

"Nascent Soul Stage," Lu Changyuan repeated silently, "what is the surname of the Canglan Sect's Sect Master?"

"Surname Yue, Yue Wuyai," Lu Changhe looked at him, "how do you plan to deal with this trouble?"

"Not dealing with it for now," Lu Changyuan said calmly, "first establish a foothold, then we'll see. If it can be solved with money, use money. If it can't be solved with money, use connections. If even connections can't suppress it…" He paused, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, "by that time, I will naturally have a way."

Lu Changhe stared at him for a moment, then gave a wry smile and shook his head: "You child, you have the same temperament as your father when he was young; you always speak so nonchalantly."

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and there was a hint of genuine emotion in his tone: "Fine, since you've decided, Big Brother will support you. If you have any needs, come find me."

"There is one more thing," Lu Changhe put down his teacup, "within three hundred miles of Blue Moon Island, the one that can be called a local tyrant is the Chen family of Ironwood Island—with the Grand Elder Chen Xinglie of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage presiding. They act tyrannically and specialize in snatching mineral deposits and trade routes from new islands. If you gain a foothold on Blue Moon Island, you will sooner or later come into contact with them."

"Thank you, Big Brother," Lu Changyuan picked up his teacup to acknowledge this, then immediately added, "there is one more thing I would like to ask for your help with."

"Speak."

"The Wang family's secret agents intercepted me once at Broken Star Reef," Lu Changyuan's tone was calm, as if he were talking about an insignificant trifle, "I have already sent the news back to Yunzhou, but here in the Star Sea, I still need Big Brother to help keep an eye out. If you discover any news regarding the 'Abyss' strongholds, be sure to inform me."

Lu Changhe's expression became noticeably heavier the moment he heard the words "Abyss": "The Wang family's people? Their hands have reached into the Star Sea?"

"Not just reached in," Lu Changyuan put down his teacup, "they have already laid out the trap long ago."

The two looked at each other for a moment.

Lu Changhe nodded slowly: "I understand, I will have people keep an eye on this matter." He paused, then added another sentence, his tone carrying a hint of an older brother's unique admonition: "Fifth Brother, when you arrive at Blue Moon Island, be careful in everything. If something happens, send me a message; don't force yourself."

"Don't worry, Big Brother."

They talked for nearly another hour. When Lu Changyuan stood up to take his leave, the orange sunset glow had already appeared outside the window.

Lu Changhe walked him to the Pier and stood on the shore, watching the spirit boat slowly leave the harbor. His gaze followed the hundred-foot-long hull until it sailed into the twilight and disappeared at the horizon where the sea met the sky.

Behind him, a personal Dao soldier walked up and whispered: "Sect Master, the Formation Fifth Young Lord brought this time is much stronger than when we opened our island back then."

Lu Changhe withdrew his gaze and was silent for a moment before speaking: "It's not just a matter of the Formation."

The Dao soldier did not understand, but did not ask further.

The spirit boat set sail again, riding the evening wind toward the depths of the Star Sea.

This journey lasted another two days. The deeper they went into the Green Abyss Sea, the fewer merchant ships there were on the sea surface. Occasionally, one could only see one or two fast boats of Loose Cultivators flying the Yao-hunting flag, hurriedly turning back.

By the time night fell on the third day, the seawater ahead had turned from deep blue to ink green, and there was an elusive chill in the air.

On the deck, the night wind grew cooler, and the sea surface was sparkling, reflecting the stars in the sky like broken silver, rising and falling with the waves.

He stood at the bow of the ship, looking at the increasingly thick sea mist ahead, his eyes calm and determined.

There was nothing to hesitate about anymore.

"Young Lord," Lu Hu walked up and cupped his hands, "the sea mist ahead is thickening. Should we slow down?"

"No need," Lu Changyuan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the depths of the sea mist, his tone calm, "proceed at the original speed."

Lu Hu hesitated for a moment: "But the visibility—"

"There is mist around Blue Moon Island all year round," Lu Changyuan interrupted him and turned around, "this is how it is supposed to be. Let the Dao soldiers adapt; from now on, this will be our home."

Lu Hu was stunned for a moment, then immediately cupped his hands to accept the order: "Yes."

He turned and left to convey the order. The Dao soldiers on the deck straightened their backs one after another, a hint of excitement in their eyes.

Leng Feng stood beside Lu Changyuan, turned his head, and glanced at him: "You've chosen?"

"I've chosen," Lu Changyuan looked at the sea mist in front, his tone calm, "Blue Moon Island."

Leng Feng did not speak again, just placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, his gaze also turning to the front.

The spirit boat sailed through the mist, and the visibility around it dropped rapidly. The sea mist, like white silk, surged in from both sides, enveloping the entire ship.

Just at this moment, something appeared faintly in the sea mist.

It was the silhouette of an island.

Massive, silent, shrouded in pale blue mist, it was like a giant beast that had been sleeping for countless years, now slowly opening its eyes.

Lu Changyuan stared at that silhouette for a long time.

In his Sea of Consciousness, the heavenly secret jade slip vibrated slightly at this moment, emitting a subtle resonance, like some kind of ancient echo rippling deep within his Divine Sense.

This was the first time the Jade Slip had spontaneously reacted without him actively sinking into his Sea of Consciousness.

He was stunned for a moment, then sank his Divine Sense into his Sea of Consciousness, only to see extremely faint golden light flowing on the surface of the Jade Slip. No new characters appeared, but those three words echoed clearly in his mind:

The time has come.

Lu Changyuan exhaled slowly.

He waved his sleeve, his voice calm but carrying a determination that could not be ignored, spreading to every corner of the spirit boat in the sea breeze: "Advance at full speed, land on the island, and erect the boundary suppression stele."

The spirit boat let out a low roar, its speed suddenly increased, and the bow of the ship cleaved through the waves, sailing with full force toward the massive island shrouded in pale blue mist.